Welcome to my Blog. The scope of this blog is to record the trials and tribulations of building and maintaining an HO scale layout, the trains and all of the ancillary projects that go with it. In 2017 New York Central subsidiary short line Empire Belt Railroad came into existence. The New York Central / Penn Central and Empire Belt are now the major railroads featured.
New York Central Alcos
NYC RS32 #2040 leads a trio of R32s hauling Train NY-4
Greetings All, There have been some troubles on "The Slide" which is the grade from Bedford NY to the lower level of Empire City on my basement New York Central water level layout. This blog entry could have also been titled "Big Mike was Right" as we'll soon see. The events started out with the newly purchased used power chassis under the 6554 diagnosed with cracked axle gears. The big Hook has been called out to lift the engine.
The last new axle gear and wheel assembly is ready for installation under the watchful eyes of eight 1/87th scale supervisors.
Big Mike was Right!!!! While testing the Athearn BB six axle U Boats in a powered-dummy-powered configuration the train of sixteen cars stalled on "the slide".
A pair of rescue engines head down "the slide" and enter the tunnel under Bedford Station.
The GP35s couple up to the U Boats as 1/87th scale Big Mike lets the other engineer know that G.E. should have stuck to toasters!
The five engine consist comes up the slide crawling out of the Bedford Station tunnel. While this trouble has been cleared up new trouble is brewing.
In my say hello to the 1693 blog post I mentioned the lower level connecting to the NYC Harlem Branch. This imaginary layout connection was the result of research into a November 1967 NYC Timetable given to me by 1:1 PC Ralph.
Additional research by PC Ralph disclosed that the Harlem Branch with its larger clearances was a convenient way for the NYC / PC to move Plate C boxcars and high and wide loads into the city. Perfect for an alternate freight car route!
Now let's test the lower level clearances!
One of the trains I wanted to use for the Harlem Branch was a transformer on a depressed flatcar that looks really cool.
Later that day 1/87th scale conductor John and engineer PC Ralph are on a high wide move using the lower level to access the Harlem Branch. The High & Wide train however stopped right here as the clearance bureau has made a big measurement mistake. Ugh....
The train was backed up to Terminal Yard and continued on via the upper level. Even without the extra clearance I plan to use the lower level as an alternate freight route.
Greetings All, Penn Central F7A #1693 has just been released from the paint shop and gets looked over by the 1/87th scale Terminal Yard trainmen.
The 1693 is a Bachmann Plus model and joins Bachmann Plus F7B #3429 and F7A #1862 giving me a powered A-B-A set.
The A-B-As back into the engine terminal to pick up a pair of F7As for additional power to handle today's heavy tonnage.
These F7As are dummy Bachmann pancake motor units and are really just along for the ride.
A 1/87th scale Sir Neal has been painted in the engineers seat.
The 1693 leads the five unit consist at RA Tower.
Watch the F7s buzz the tower and deal with the lower level grades.
On another day PC F7A #1693 with 1/87th scale Sir Neal at the throttle leads a five unit lash up thru Bedford NY. My usual coupling method for F7As and Bs is by drawbar as I like the close coupling look. With these PC engines I'm using couplers as the PC used the F7As & Bs in many different consists like the one below.
This five unit set features three powered and two non powered engines. The 1693, F7B #3429 and GP30 #2228 are powered. Cab units and hood units mixing and mingling. Oh my!
A short time later PC F7A #1862 with 1/87th scale engineer PC Ralph leads another five unit mixed consist out of Terminal Yard. This is also a power-dummy-power-dummy-power lashup.
A lucky rail fan hits the daily double catching both trains at the Empire City viaduct. 1/87th scale Sir Neal in the 1693 is heading for Selkirk while PC Ralph in the 1862 on the lower level heads for Putnam Jct. via the Harlem Branch.
I hope the guys are back in time for the next P.C.C.M!!!
By using couplers on these F7As and Bs I've increased their single use versatility and I'm not bound to keep them in an A-A or A-B-A consist. That is the good news. The bad news is the increased space between the units when they are consisted. I have used the Kadee #452 close coupling kits in the past but ended up removing them for the drawbar method. For now these three units will remain with the couplers installed to take advantage of using them in different consists just like the 1:1 Penn Central.
Greetings All, A recent purchase on ebay of a used three boxcar lot has lead to some interesting background information on the prototype cars.
An April 22, 1950 article in Railway Age magazine titled "Shippers Delight Boxcar" described the unique building and leasing agreements being proposed by newly formed corporation General American - Evans Company of Chicago. The brand new lease agreement to railroads would make available to shippers a nationwide pool of versatile boxcars with the latest design and specialty features for damage free high speed carriage of freight previously lost to trucks.
The boxcars were offered to trunk line railroads on a ten year lease using mileage charges differing from the standard per diem charges of the day. G.A.E. would monitor and divert cars from railroad to railroad according to system shortages and surpluses. The boxcars, assigned GAEX reporting marks, are painted green with the leasing railroad's name placarded on the side. GAEX 100022 is one of 110 such cars leased to the PRR. Painted in the as delivered 1950 scheme this is an Athearn BB model painted and sold by Branchline Trains.
The "Shippers Delight Boxcars' were intended to match mettle with highway trucks. They were not intended to be thrown out into the field for general freight traffic, nor to replace the country's boxcar fleet. The DF car is designed for the heavy loading of high revenue products from manufacturers, in particular those vulnerable to highway competition.
The GAEX boxcars have been offered in models of all scales. In HO scale Branchline and Roundhouse released GAEX boxcars in both lease and railroad owned paint schemes.
The PRR purchased a total of 150 ex GAEX cars numbered 47100 - 47249. This car is also an Athearn BB car painted and sold by Branchline Trains.
The Branchline painted Athearn BB cars with their sliding doors seem to be good representatives of the 1950 built cars.
This prototype photo shows Penn Central Boxcar #264654 which was sold to the PRR at lease end, painted by GAEX and received new reporting marks after the NYC-PRR merger. For the merger these boxcars were renumbered from the PRR 47100 - 47249 series to the Penn Central 264651 - 264789 series. PC 264765 below is a Roundhouse model with a similar paint job but different door which is slightly bigger than the Athearn cars.
The Green Bay and Western RR rostered ten GAEX cars numbered 11200 - 11209. These cars were sold to the GBW and pretty much repainted as seen below on GBW 112005.
GBW ORER has the ten GBW cars numbered 112001 - 112012. GBW 112010 would fall within that range.
Check these links for before and after photos of GAEX 11208 and GBW 11208. The trio of ex GAEX cars have been shoved into the Terminal Warehouse & Cold Storage Building #1 siding with another load of damaged free merchandise.
I really like the eye catching paint schemes on these cars and researching the prototype info was an enjoyable endeavor. That's a model railroading win-win for me. As for the Roundhouse models, they came with Kadee #5 couplers installed. I've added Intermountain metal wheelsets which made them extremely free rolling. More information on these car can be found on Rob's PRR railfan page .TrainLife members can access the Railmodel Journal four part series on these cars starting in March 1990 on page 44.
Greetings All, Welcome back to Penn Central Car Movement Series #69 which is also the 4th anniversary of our virtual ops and the 52nd anniversary of the creation of the Penn Central. P.C.C.M. 69 continues today with the unloading of our unit grain train from Empire Grain in West Mill in support of the July 1972 shipment of 10 million tons of grain to the Soviet Union. We'll get that done and then dispatch the empty hoppers back to PC Ralph's Kings Port Division via Selkirk. 1/87th scale Big Mike and Robert R are still hard at work on the Yard Job and shoving the first cut of seven covered hoppers loaded with grain from Empire Grain toward the Pier 16 Silos for eventual overseas export.
The Yard Job spots the loads and 1/87th scale Robert R, Big Mike, Alco Joe and conductor Murray talk things over to plan their car moves to maximize efficiency and safety.
The Pier 16 crew gets back to work swapping empties for loads.
The loaded hoppers from Empire Grain are spotted.
The Pier 16 Job drags the block of empties to Terminal Yard.
The empties are left on track #9 and a second block of loads from Empire Grain are grabbed from track #4.
The loaded covered hoppers are shoved back toward the Pier 16 Silos.
The empties get pulled.
The loads are now spotted. The empties to the left will get dragged over to Terminal Yard.
But not so fast!!! A transfer run from the LV's West 27th Street yard comes off 12th Ave (staging) and heads towards Terminal Yard watched by Alco Joe and conductor Murray. This new rail traffic being explored and I'll post about it in the near future.
Later that day the Pier 16 Job pulls another block of empties from the Pier 16 silos for return to Empire Grain in West Nill NY.
The second seven car block has been shoved into track #3 and the Pier 16 Job heads back to the silos.
A short time later the power for our outbound train rolls towards us on track 9. The LV transfer is heading back to their yard as 1/87th scale Big Mike laments the leaving of the LV SW8.
The LV Transfer run heads back towards 12th Ave.
A trio of Alco Centuries couple on to the outbound empties going to Empire Grain at West Mill via Selkirk.
Extra 2417 heads out of Terminal Yard.
Next stop Selkirk!!!
Check out this video to watch the yard action and
Extra 2417 heading out of town;
You might want to grab a drink and snack before starting!
As the P.C.CM.s enter their 5th year I'd like to thank the participants present and past.
A special thanks to 1:1 PC Ralph for all of his time and efforts to help make the P.C.C.M.s so enjoyable. It has been a pleasure to get to know him and to be able to share the hobby with him. Thanks Ralph! I look forward to many more P.C.C.M.s and emails.
PC Ralph's steady hand, sense of humor and commitment to the upstart virtual ops made it the success it is today. Here's a photo from P.C.C.M. #1 series dated 02/03/2016 when we used car cards that PC Ralph supplied to report the action. The red Triangle Pacific boxcar holds the distinction of being the first virtual ops car. From car cards to multi page forms! That's progress!!!
A big thank you to 1:1 Sir Neal who has been a huge supporter of all of my modeling efforts and a great benefactor to the N.Y.C.T.L. Sir Neal's help and guidance have transformed the layout from a set of loops to one that is enjoyable to operate. It was a great day when he agreed to have his A.P.R.R. join the P.C.C.M. virtual ops giving us a third layout to interchange with. Thanks Sir Neal!!!
Thanks to 1:1 John B who was able to join in on several of the virtual ops. John has provided me with much modeling and prototype knowledge and has been so generous providing me with several project boxes over the years. Thanks John!!!
Thanks to ATJOE1972, aka 1/87th scale Alco Joe for all of his PC / CBQ knowledge, positive reinforcement and for joining in with us when his time permits.
Greetings All, Welcome to Penn Central Car Movement Series #69 which is also the 4th anniversary of our virtual ops and the 52nd anniversary of the creation of the Penn Central. Hard to believe four years have gone by. It seems like yesterday when PC Ralph and I came up with the idea to virtually interchange similar freight cars via email and then later via blogs. The P.C.C.M.s have proven to be a tremendous amount of fun. We've been fortunate to have 1:1 Sir Neal, John Bruce and ATJOE1972 participate in them with us and we've had a great time sharing them with our readers. P.C.C.M. 69 will be a two layout virtual op featuring unit grain trains with the July 1972 shipment of 10 million tons of grain to the Soviet Union as background. We're going old school with sequential posting and PC Ralph's Kings Port Division leading off. We pick up the action at Empire City with Grain Extra 2236 heading onto the High Line as the train makes its way to Terminal Yard from Selkirk.
A closeup of the lead engine shows 1/87th scale PC Ralph at the throttle. PC Ralph is on the Metro Division Extra Board and gets called for many seasonal and special runs.
Bedford Tower operator 1/87th scale John B is again threading the Bedford Needle as he hands up a slow order to PC Ralph.
Extra 2236 slowly glides thru Bedford NY as was catch an empty coal train on track 3 and a MOW train working track 1.
Extra 2236 threads its way thru a congested Bedford NY.
1/87th scale PC Ralph has the throttle in notch 8 as Extra 2236 climbs the grade towards Terminal Yard.
Extra 2236 comes down the yard lead.
and rolls over the weigh in motion scale. 1/87th scale senior engineer Sir Neal and conductor John are awaiting clearance to depart while Big Mike and Robert R look over Extra 2236.
Watch Extra 2236 make its way from
Bedford Tower to Terminal Yard
1/87th scale PC Ralph has cut his engines from the covered hoppers and is heading thru the engine terminal.
The five units are parked at the fuel rack and once again 1/87th scale engine hostler Wet Willie gets the familiar "Fill em up"!
Back in the yard 1/87th scale Kar Knocker has blue flagged the train after the yard job pulls off the caboose. The yardi lets Sir Neal know he's clear to leave once the Yard Job gets off the yard lead.
Over at the Pier 16 Grain Silos 1/87th scale Sup't Shore confers with Alco Joe and conductor Murray who just reported for duty.
1/87th scale Alco Joe, maybe going as FM Joe today, pulls a cut of empties from the Pier 16 Silos. B.T.W. Those NYC H16-44s are in their 10th year of service on the NYCTL.
The FMs shove back to couple up to a block of loaded covered hoppers.
The loads are shoved into the unloading track.
The FMs then drag the empties over to Terminal Yard.
The empties are shoved into track #3.
1/87th scale Alco Joe and conductor Murray are stopped on track 8 by Sup't Shore for a pep talk with Big Mike and Robert R. Sup't Shore wants wants the guys to know he appreciates their hard work during this extremely busy time and stresses that they work safely.
The pep talk over and with the inspection now completed the Yard Job gets to work on the loaded covered hoppers from Extra 2236.
A seven car block is shoved into track #4.
The 6718 couples up to the second seven car block from Extra 2236 as its time to start delivering these loaded hoppers from Empire Grain to the Pier 16 silos.
We'll close it out here today with 1/87th scale Robert R protecting the shove move towards the Pier 16 Grain Silos.
We'll pick it up tomorrow with the Yard Job shoving the loaded covered hoppers to the Pier 16 Grain Silos.
Be sure to check back here first tomorrow as the loaded covered hoppers from Extra 2236 get unloaded at the Pier 16 silos and the empties are dispatched back to PC Ralph's Kings Port Division.
